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Alligator question

RRP
RRP Posts: 25,880
edited May 2014 in EggHead Forum
I've admitted here before that I love to watch the History channel and have asked here before about bear meat and moose. The replies never made me rush to buy some even if I could down here in the flatlands. Now I see all these wild alligators being harvested down South. I still don't get it...are they harvested for their hide only or is the meat any good? I think I just saw a family eating some alligator, but no one raved about it...so what's the skinny on gator meat? An acquired taste or delicacy?
Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Tail meat is very good. It's tough so you need to marinate it. Jupiter Jim does a lot of gator. He is GatorMan on here.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
    edited May 2014
    I ate it one time when I was a kid. It was good, but I don't want anymore. We have them in my uncles pond. Once a year or so a guy comes and gets them, but I don't know what he does with them. Maybe he eats them! 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Y'all are missing out!! We used to get gator tail all the time, cut it into pieces and fried it. Very very good stuff.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    It's on a lot of menus here in New Orleans for the tourists.

    The sausage isn't bad, but local's don't eat much alligator.  Maybe the cajuns out in the boondocks do.  Too many better meats to eat.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Tail meat is very good. It's tough so you need to marinate it. Jupiter Jim does a lot of gator. He is GatorMan on here.

    That's funny the first response I got was from you in Canada! When you say tough I understand since the tail is a strong muscle for a gator from what I hear. I wonder if Jaccarding it would help? OTOH any comparison in taste that you can tell me? Then being muscle I assume it is cut thin and across the grain maybe?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    edited May 2014
    I tried grilling it. Didn't work for me. Had it fried. Delicious
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Ron I have never prepared it as we simply can't get them here. It is on the menu every time I am in the southeast though. Jaccarding and marinatong might work well. It isn't fibrous like a flank steak

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    You can fry just about anything and make it taste good.  Case in point: green tomatoes.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I had some kabobs in a little place in the quarter when we were there after New Years. It was damn good and quite tender. Chef told me he marinates for three days.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • eggLaTech
    eggLaTech Posts: 28
    I've had it fried and grilled. Tough chew each time. Maybe low n slow in a DC? With some kind of gravy?
    Baton Rouge, La - I'm going to quit procrastinating.......starting tomorrow.
  • eggLaTech
    eggLaTech Posts: 28
    Meant DO. Sorry
    Baton Rouge, La - I'm going to quit procrastinating.......starting tomorrow.
  • plumbfir01
    plumbfir01 Posts: 725
    Love gator tail... Strips and sauteed with mushrooms and served with marinara sauce and butternut squash works for me
    Beaufort, SC
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    I'll have to try that Steven. 

    I've had some really weird stuff.  I was on the North Shore in Abita, out in the country, at a friend of my buddy's house (rest his soul).  He and his friends are Creole.  Anyway, the wife asked me if I wanted some "gumbo".  I love gumbo, so I said sure. 

    So this gumbo, other than the okra and veggies, had completely unrecognizable meats in it.  It was basically made from critters that I'm fairly certain they shot from the back porch (squirrel, raccoon, etc), plus some aquatic creatures like turtle.  Lots of weird bones and spongy meat-like particles.  It did taste delicious, but freaked my freak out.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • calracefan
    calracefan Posts: 606
    Had in Florida a few years ago, was in nuggets.Tasted like chicken !
    Ova B.
    Fulton MO
  • cajunduck
    cajunduck Posts: 203
    Love it grilled or in a sauce piquante.
    Geaux Tigers!! West Monroe, Louisiana
  • dweebs0r
    dweebs0r Posts: 539
    Gator sausage is really good.  The fried tails taste like chicken (no really!).
       -Jody Newell (LBGE & a 36" Blackstone griddle).
    Location:  🍺🍺  The back porch, Munford, TN.  🍺🍺
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    edited May 2014
    Harvested? =))
    The sign is at a Marina not too far from my home. There's a place within a stone's throw that you can no longer swim in because there are so many Gators. The picture of the Gator here is about 100 yards from my house. And my neighbor about 6 or so years ago had to shoot one that was destroying the fish population in his pond. Yes I guess they're tasty. I am a Husker so I'll tear some Gator up =)) imageimageimage
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Gator_Man
    Gator_Man Posts: 138
    edited May 2014

    Well I have killed many a gator in south FL, all of the meat is good to eat and there is not that much in the tail like everyone thinks, the legs are a darker meat, and by far the toughest. Almost all that one gets in a restaurant has been through a meat cuber  to make it tender then battered and fried and most of the flavor is in the batter and seasoning............ Back when I hunted every year we used all of the meat and I made sausage and again the flavor is in the seasoning. I'm in NC now during hunting season and I just will not spend the money to go to FL and hunt. Most of the meat in the commercial world is from the gator farms that raise them for the hides and they meet there maker at about 5' in length as when they get bigger the boys fight for the girls and will damage the hide. The meat is just a little extra for the farmers and the tourist love to give it a try. Yep the gator bites in most restaurants taste like chicken... If you can get some and it doesn't cost ya an arm and a leg give it a go, otherwise there is much better wild game to eat. Google it and you won't find much about cooking it either. The money is in the hides for the leather goods!!!! Gator Man, AKA Jupiter Jim

    I'm from North Carolina summer and Okeechobee Florida winter.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    LOL - Jim! thanks for your reply! BTW were those gators as elusive in  replying as you have been to me with your email inquires about  a gasket? I have had 2 of them cut now and ready to ship, but never heard back so shipped them to others! 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    @Gatror_Man‌ +1 the restaurant stuff is beat to death, battered and fried so like ya always hear "tastes like chicken". It shouldn't though. It should taste like gator. This place and Whitey's Fish Camp have pretty good tail.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
    I have had some gator before, but its been awhile. It was good, but mother to make big deal out of. Now bear meat that's some good stuff. I guy was working with when in Iowa years ago cooked a bunch of use some bear steaks in a CI skillet with just a little flower and s&p. It was very good and tender. He shot the bear himself on a hunt in Canada. It was a black bear.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Eating alligator reminded me of eating rattlesnake. Both were a little tough. Would not go out of my way to eat either one of them.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
    Yep. I too was one of those tourist that had to try it. Don't recall it being anything distasteful just gristly. It was over 15 years ago.
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
  • Gator_Man
    Gator_Man Posts: 138
    RRP said:
    LOL - Jim! thanks for your reply! BTW were those gators as elusive in  replying as you have been to me with your email inquires about  a gasket? I have had 2 of them cut now and ready to ship, but never heard back so shipped them to others! 

    Sorry I have not got back to you, been on the road and was going to have you ship to John Halls as we are at the Fairgrounds getting set up for the Georgia Mountain Eggfest but realized I just wont have time to install a new gasket until I get home to NC so I will email my NC address when I get home. :)


    I'm from North Carolina summer and Okeechobee Florida winter.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

  • ShadowNick
    ShadowNick Posts: 533
    edited May 2014
    I've had blackened gator bites before, those were extremely tasty.
    Pentwater, MI
  • Egglegal_Alien
    Egglegal_Alien Posts: 113
    edited May 2014
    Gator meat is edible and can be quite good... I've had it a few times. 

    + 1 on flavor tending to be much more dependant on seasoning than the meat itself, it's natural flavor is kind of mild actually, sort of like chicken, but the texture is very diferent, tougher with some chew on it.

    I understand preparing it is a bit tricky tough because if you don't cook it right you'll end up with a very rubbery meal (same difficulty you might have run into cooking octopus or squid).

    Here's a video recipe for the Q I ran into a little while ago.

    Cheers!

    XL BGE + Large BGE @ Monterrey, Mexico
  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    Had gator in NOLA and FL... Long marinade time important to soften it up. Never would have thought about comparing to rattlesnake, but you are right on task @TexanOfTheNorth‌!

    LBGE #19 from North GA Eggfest, 2014

    Stockbridge, GA - just south of Atlanta where we are covered up in Zombies!  #TheWalkingDead films practically next door!

  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    edited May 2014
    I've bagged one with my dad. It was a game warden draw hunt. There were guys at the docks offering to buy them for the skin. We kept ours and skinned out. Tail and jaw were pretty good. Only thing we liked was beat and fried. Grilled never worked. It was good but like others have said, no rush to eat it again. My dad mounted it. He's about 13 foot long and sits in his game room. My dad does taxidermy on the side so this was just for the challenge for him.

    On the other hand, I'd go on another hunt tomorrow if I got the chance. Most exciting thing I've ever done. They make you snag, snare and restrain before you can shoot it. Was a rush. My uncle came, he's a cop and 6'2" 260 and he was scared to death!!


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    That's a pretty big gator. 
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Gator_Man
    Gator_Man Posts: 138
    Wow 13' is a very nice Gator! Your right about hunting them it is totally awesome for sure and I would go also but just not willing to go back to FL in the summer to do so. G M

    I'm from North Carolina summer and Okeechobee Florida winter.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!